Sunday

Sep 9, 2018 at 2:00 AMSep 9, 2018 at 2:05 AM

Don't count on savings from shelter

First Step Director Mark Geallis says there will be a $20 million savings per year. I’d like to see the numbers. He cites savings for law enforcement as one example. Where? Unless the sheriff and Daytona Beach Police Department lay off employees and reduce vehicles on the road, there will be no savings. We all know that will not happen.

[READ: Bill for Daytona homeless shelter rising]

He also cites jail stays as a cost saver. How? It is erroneous to use the cost per day to jail a person, as compared to the projected cost per day in the shelter. The number used for the jail includes all costs to run the jail, and those are pretty well fixed. The cost per day is only dependent on the number of inmates, but the cost to operate the jail annually will not change. What difference to the annual costs does it make if there are a fewer people in jail? None, except food.

He also uses medical help and mental health services as a cost savings. Where? They are still going to have those services at the new facility. Just moving the location will not result in any savings. It will most likely increase, given the staffing.

And lastly he claims lower court cases as a savings. Again, wrong. The same argument for the law enforcement and jail apply here too. Does anyone think the courts are going to reduce employees too? Hardly.

And how do all these people get to and from the shelter? Next you’ll see the need to provide transportation vehicles and drivers around the clock.

Stop trying to justify this on cost savings; there probably aren’t any. If we want to try and help people, that’s a noble effort but don’t make wild cost saving statements that don’t exist. The fact is the costs for this program will increase over current costs now incurred. I never saw a government program yet save anyone any money, or my taxes would have gone down a long time ago.

Hopefully this will have better results but again — watch the numbers and how they are presented. Think SunRail when we start paying for that.

John R. Hoyer, Ormond Beach

Super-pricey beds

The cost figures for the beds at the First Step Shelter are absurd. In my 35 years of military service I never slept in a $2,500 bed and I doubt many others did either. Time for a new director who is budget-conscious.

Look up UNICOR — it used to be known as Federal Prison Industries. For years the government-operated corporation has made beds, wall lockers, night stands, chest of draws, office furniture for the military and federal government and numerous agencies and customers. They are products made by individuals incarcerated in federal prisons as work projects and educational-vocational training for lifestyle rehabilitation.

Their basic steel bunk beads start at $216. Their best ones run $501.

That’s a 36’ X 80” double-stack steel bed with floor anchors.

A sealed mattress with integrated pillow is available for $ 136 and meets all federal standards for fire and and health safety.

I urge all donors , potential donors and taxpayers to look at the UNICOR web site and the cry foul real loud before this current project takes another step forward.

Stan Kapp, New Smyrna Beach

A bridge explained

Thanks you for the very informative article in Monday’s paper regarding the John Ringling Causeway Bridge in Sarasota. It explains why the bridge was so long in being constructed. During those years, I was a frequent visitor to Sarasota as my mother lived there and many residents were wondering what the hold-up was. Traffic on the old bridge was heavy with the added fear of emergency services being held up. The new bridge is a marvel of engineering.

Annette Moore, Port Orange

Disgraceful display

I watched in awe with the world to see a person who was picked by President Donald Trump to be the next Supreme Court justice belittled and reviled. There was barely one good word said about him.

[READ: Rancorous, partisan start for high court hearing]

Well, Sen. Cory Booker et al have had their days in glory, demeaning a man whose impeccable credentials were looked at as if they were a second-grade report card. Those Democratic senators who vilified Judge Brett Kavanaugh will have to suck it up when he get passed by the Senate to be the next Supreme Court justice. They looked so pathetic with their outrageous questions, and the paid protesters who kept making the process look like a circus did little to deter Kavanaugh from giving sound legal opinions. As for Booker, Trump will be looking forward to seeing him in a couple of years.

Don Howell, DeLand

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